


Again

by starry_sky_323



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-21 01:49:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13730559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starry_sky_323/pseuds/starry_sky_323
Summary: Noctis leaves the Crown City with his friends and is soon besieged by memories of a life he never lived, horrors he never saw and a future he cannot allow to pass. Even as he resolves to right the wrongs he remembers and unravel the mysteries that he never solved in his other life, his knowledge complicates his relationships and may cause the world to veer towards an even darker future.





	Again

The sun beat down on Noctis' shoulders and soil filled his dress shoes. He felt the sweat forming under his thick jacket, and squinted against the bright reflection of the sun off the sand. His knee ached, in a way that felt both familiar and unnerving at once. Frowning as the wind blew more dirt into his face and he felt it sting in his eyes, he trudged towards the shack in the distance, following behind Ignis and the others. 

The four of them had left Insomnia less than a day ago, after bidding goodbye to Noctis' father, King Regis Lucis Caelum. King Regis had been insistent that the other three accompany Noctis on this journey, which should be a simple trip to meet Noctis' fiancée, Lady Lunafreya of Tenebrae. Luna had been a close friend of Noctis' for years, and so the prince was not opposed to this marriage, sudden as it seemed. 

Ignis had been Noctis' advisor since they had both been children. Noctis had never met Ignis' parents, and the older boy had spoken of them sparingly, but he had left sporadically for visits home, returning usually in a worse mood than he had left. Noctis had always supposed that there was a reason Ignis threw himself so wholeheartedly into his work, but he hadn't thought too much about it: Ignis was his advisor, but also his friend. 

Noctis was not opposed to Ignis accompanying him, although the screaming fights he had started with his father the week before departure might suggest otherwise. Regis hadn't screamed back, no matter how hard Noctis tried to push him. Instead, he had weathered his son's rage with a calm acceptance, a sad look in his eyes. At last, Noctis gave up trying to convince his father that he didn't need a babysitter. Hence, he was trudging through the sand with Ignis, Prompto, and Gladio, rather than sitting in a camper alone. 

Cindy's call had informed them that her friend Dave might be holed up, waiting for help; the moment Prompto heard that, he insisted they rush off to save Dave, with only a slight hesitation: "You don't think he might be competition for my girl Cindy's affections, do you, Noct?"

"No," Noctis had answered, "I'm sure he couldn't compete with you."

Gladio had laughed at that. "Well, Prompto, Noct's right about one thing: I don't think you'll be competing for Cindy's love."

"What's the supposed to mean? Do you mean that in a nice way, or do you mean I don't have a chance?"

Noctis shook his head as the memories from earlier that day slipped away - replaced instead by a sense of foreboding and images from what must have been a dream he didn't remember having. As the taunts from Gladio faded into the background, the heat from the sun turned into fire. Instead of Gladio's hand clapping his shoulder as they laughed at Prompto, he felt a frantic grasping and panic welled up his throat, wedding ring constricting his finger - wait, he wasn't married, yet, why was he wearing a ring? - the flames burned hotter, and his knee brace heated to an unbearable burn. He felt his heart race, fear and dread mixing with the frantic expectations of combat, and Ignis' shout punched through - 

"Noctis." Ignis wasn't shouting; his tone was measured and calm, as always. "This shack appears to be empty. Shall we return outside and-"

A flurry of activity near the door combined with Prompto's yell of surprise, and Noctis became aware of several small monsters with them in the shack. When had we reached the shack? Alarmed, Noctis drew his blade and charged, even as his mind attempted to catch up. How long had he been trapped in memories? No, not memories - dreams - 

One blow, two blows - the monsters fell quickly to Noctis' blade, even as Ignis and Gladio struggled, working together to finish off the remaining monster. Noctis warped over to Prompto's side, blocking an attack with his sword and then aiding him with a final blow. Gladio's brow furrowed as he watched Noctis, forgetting his own foe, which Ignis quickly finished off with a strike of his own. 

The enemies had been downed for only a moment, but Gladio stalked to Noctis' side and grasped his shoulder. Involuntarily, Noctis paled and drew back, as images from his dreams pervaded his mind. "Where did you get that sword?" Gladio demanded, fingers wrapping around Noctis' wrist and pulling his arm roughly outwards, Gladio's eyes raking over the runes on the side of the blade. 

"What do you mean? I've had this sword since - " Noctis saw the sword in his hand for the first time. A long tapered blade, longer than his leg, with an ornate handle - this wasn't this sword. It was his father's sword. His chest constricted, as a phantom pain pierced his heart, stopping his breath and bringing sharp tears to his eyes.

"His majesty didn't give that to you before we left. I saw him say goodbye, and there is no way Noctis had that when we left." Gladio's demeanor changed abruptly, an ugly look crossing his face before he strode forward and picked Noctis up by his collar, nearly choking the young prince. "Who are you? You're not the prince! What have you done to the King?"

"Gladio! Stop!" a chorus of Ignis' and Prompto's anxious voices called as Noctis pawed at Gladio's grip, surprised when he was able to escape from the older man's hold. Retreating across the clearing, sword extended, Noctis avoids the eyes of his companions, afraid to see the distrust and fear that was spreading into his own heart as well. The sword both felt right in his hand and caused a sharp pain in his heart. Somehow, he knew some unspeakable horror relating to this sword swam beneath the surface of his memories, and he wasn't sure which was worse: these sudden memories or the equally sudden way that Gladio had turned on him. 

Finally, Noctis brought himself to speak. "I don't know what happened. I don't know where this sword came from, but I am Noctis. You have to help me figure out what's wrong. We can go back to the Crown City and ask my dad - maybe he placed it in my Armiger at some point before we left. It would make sense. He probably wanted me to have it for our journey, it's not like he needs it." Noctis was almost able to convince himself with his words, as the memories that had seemed so vivid moments ago faded and the heat was the sun beating on his head and not flames licking at his legs. 

Prompto looked relieved, Gladio looked placated, but Ignis looked suddenly concerned, rocking forward on the balls of his feet and tension building in his shoulders. "Noctis, your father would not have access to your Armiger. You know that." 

At Ignis' words, Gladio's anger returned in force. His eyes narrowed. "During that battle just now, you used techniques I never taught Noctis. It's almost as if you were playing with these monsters, and I know you've never faced anything as tough before." Noctis stepped back, linking eyes with Prompto, who looked confused. 

Noctis didn't know what to say. These were his friends, who he had been traveling with for years, and they would turn on him over a small misunderstanding? On some level, he knew that something strange was going on. But at the same time, his friends had turned on him awfully quickly - almost as if they had been waiting for something to go wrong. 

"I don't know what to tell you all. I've been getting headaches all day, but I'm me and I just fought like I always have. I don't know what's going on any more than you do." Even as Noctis tried to convince them, he kept his sword at attention, ready either for a monster ambush or an attack from his friends: he didn't want to consider which he thought more likely. 

The sun was lowering in the sky. Prompto remained the only one without a weapon drawn. They stood miles from Hammerhead, waiting for someone to make a move.


End file.
